Apparatus for supplying powdered fuel to furnaces



E. H. STROUD. APPARATUS FOR SUPPLY |NG POWDERED FUEL T0 FURNACES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 26,1917.

0 2. 9 1T H 2L. L T w n Sw d3 .6 M a P E. H. STROUD. APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING POWDERED FUEL TO FURNACES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26. m.

1,35%291 Patentedsept- 21,1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

E. H. STROUD,

APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING POWDERED FUEL TO FURNACES.

APPLICATION FILED Ffiabzs. I917.

1 353,291, PatentedSept. 21, 1 920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

slid? ore-steel.

EDMUND H. STE-GU13, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

-ABPABJTUS FOB SUPPLYING PDWDEIRED IUEL T0 FURNACES.

I 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Enzurno H. S'rnocn, a

Specification of LettersPstent. Patentd Sept, 21 1920,

Application filed February 26, 1917. Serial No. 150,911.

the corresponding fan casing E or E. Each of the fan casin s E and E will contain citizen of the Unitedfitates, and a resident vanes or blades 1& of suitable construction,

of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Supplying Powdered Fuel to Furnaces, of which I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The present invention has relation to apparatus designed for supplying to furnaces for generating steam or other purposes, I 15 powdered or finely divided coal or other fuel intimately mixed with air in proper quantity and so controlled as to insure complete combustioman example of this t pe of ap' paratus being set forth in Letters atent No. 707,992, to (i. Warner, August\26, 1902. I The object of the present invention is more especially to nro'vide fan improved apparatus of the character fst'hted, for use in connection with the furnaces of locomotive engmes, and to this end the invention consists in the features of novelty hereinafter de-" scribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out inthe claims at the end of thisspecihcation.

Figure 1 is a view partly in side-elevation and partly in vertical section showing a 1000-' motive tender and a portion of'a. locomotive boiler and furnace to which my invention is applied. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section on line 2.2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail viei' in front elevation. parts being shown in vertical section with the apparatus in place upon the tender of the locomotive. Fig. dis a view in ver' ical section'on the line l4 of Fig. 3, a portion'of the front wall of the boiler furnace being shown in vertical section.

A designates the locomotive boiler and B designates the fire box and furnace thereof, the wall at the firing end of the fire box B being formed with suitable openings 6 to tubingand are of proper length 'to extend between the tender D and thefurnace B and the inner end of each of the pipes or conduits (J is connected to..-the discharge s out a of separate sections bplted together and the.

base 0' of such casing rests upon the tloord of the loconiotivetender D. In the preferred form of my invention, the vanes or blades E of the fan casings E and E are mounted upon a shaft or shafts inaxial alinement driven from an appropriate motor (bywhich term is meant any suitable motive power unit), an electric motor 1* being indicated in the drawings. this motor being shownas part of the device and located centrally between the f i The casing F of the motor l is. suitably connected to and sustained by the fan cusings E and E and'this casing F of the motor is provided upon its interior with suitable biarings for the motor shaft that constitutes also, preferably. the shaft of'the vanes or-hlades within the fan casings E and 1 1" Each of the fan casings E and E has a laterally extending central annular rim or flange E over the outer end of which extends a series of plates c. c and 0" (preferably three in number) forming anair admission valve, that are formed with air admission ports. Through the central openings of these plates 6 c and c? passes a flanged sleeve or eyelet c. the interior diameter of which is slightly larger than tha of the shaft which thesleeve or eyelet en circles. The plates 6 and e are provided each with a'handle 6. (see Fig. 4:) whereby the'plates may beturned so as to increase or diminish the supply of air 'admitte to the fan casing. As shown, the plates 6 at and e are held ag-alnst the outer face of the annular flange by means of two or more an casings E and E,

clamp dogs 6 (see Fig. the hooked ends of which bear against the outer face of the plate mounted at the side of a yoke-shaped frame G that is secured to the annular rim E of the corresponding fan casingby means of suitable angle plates e and the outer end of the yoke-shaped frame G is formed with a bearing to receive the outer end of the shaft 9 of the fans and motor. This hearing may consist of a casting or forging g having a central sleeve from which projects the The. clamps c are shown as that is :0 that leads dmvnwardly to the top of the arms 9 that are bolted tothe frame G.

From the. outer-portion of the frame (l at its front is bolted a bracket Gr the inner end 0 1 which" is secured to the flange E ot the fan caslngy" I Upon that part of the shaft 5 wltlnn the yokeshaped frame (i is slidably mounted a "whiz-m sleeve H that is driven fromthe shaft 1 and one end oi this worm sleeve H is provided with an zmnular groove to receive can be employed for this purpose. The

worm sleeve H engages a worm gear K that is inounted upon the inner end of a countershaft in that passes through a bearing sleeve or housing K", the chambered flange portion k of which-(containing the worm wheel K) is bolted to the yoke-shaped frame-G. Upon its outer end the counter-shaft is has keyed thereto a sprocket wheel M, around which passes a sprocket chain M that vpasses around a sprocket wheel on the outerend of a conveyer shaft N (seeFig. 4).

Each conveyer shaft N has mounted thcr eon'a screw conveyer N that extends within conveyer. tube N. In the lower part of the outer end of each conveyor tube N is formed an opening n with a depending annular flange 12 that 15 connected to a pipe flan e E of the ad'acent fan casin in order 2: h to dehvcr powdered fuel into the eye of the \fan casing and into the path of the current of air as it is drawn inward by the vanes orblades I of the fan casing tlnough the airy admission ports.

The inner end of each of the conveyer tubes N is provided at its top with an elongated opening and is placed within a pocket 7 that is formed at the bottom of the coal bin P on the locomotive tender D.

As shown, the-coal bin 1 of the tender 1) is placed above and extends downwardly into the upper part of the water tank D of the tender D, the front of this water tank I) terminating at a sufficient distance from the front of the tender l) to aii'ord a compartment- D to receive the fan casings and motor. 'j

The bottom of the coal bin P is pre lerably formed with inclined bottom walls 72' and p as shownin Fig. 2 and with an inclined i front wall 7) to better direct the powdered coal to the openings in the conveyer tubes .l he lower end of the mixed with N and. the top oi"- the coal bin will be furnished with suitable openings through which fuel may be supplied to thebin, these openings being closed by hinged covers From the foregoing description it will be seen that when powdered fuel is to be delivercd to the tire box or furnace. of a locomotive, revolution will be imparted to the blades of the fan from the motor F after which the fireman by means of the shifting lever J will throw the worm sleeves ll (one or both) into engagen'icnt with the norm wheels K so as to cause the conveyors N to feed the powdered fuel from the coal bin P through the conveyor tubes and pipes {l to the 'central openings of the fan casings l5 and E". By adjusting the valve plates a and e the fireman can regulate with exactness the amount of the supply of powdered fuel in order to effect a most thdrough and perfect combustion thereof within the firebox of the locomotive. The powdered coal, or

other 'fuel, with all the air necessary-tor M combustion, is conducted by the conduits C to the firebox of the locomotive and passes therein through the openings Z at the usual firing end of the firebox, meets either a small preliminary flame. or incandescent brickwork, and the two elements of the fuelbeing so thoroughly mixed and in such correct proportions, the mixture ignites almost instantly insuring thereby most thoroughand effective and rapid combustion,

In the event that a change of adjustment is needed to secure-said very perfect combustion, it can be made by means of the air 'alve or throttle at the .eye of each-fan on one side of each fan casing by which the entire supply of air to be'usedis admitted to the firebox of the locomotive and can be accurately regulated by thefireman, who is able to observe the combustion within the fire box or furnace B through a peep-hole (F at. the firing end thereof And thereafter the speed of operating the stoking and mixing and burning devicegoverns the quantity of fuel burned, and the temperature in the firebox, the quantity of'steam made and the rapidity of making it. and the control ofthe motor or steam turbine or other motive power unit (which is built into and which is a part of said stoking, mixing'and burning device), will be efl'ected by a suitable electric controller, steam throttle orother suitable air necessary to be ad-' where the mixture means (not shown) within the cab of the locomotive or upon the front end ot the tender.

By providing the tender of the locomotive with a bin for the powdered fuel arranged 7 above the forward portion of the water tank.

and by inclining the walls of the; bin P as shown. powdercd fuel can'be rendilydeapparatus.

live-red into the opeu'inner portions of the conveyer tubes so that the conveyors will serve to effectively feed the fuel from the bin until the supply of fuel is exhausted. So, also, by providing' a compartment D at the front of the tender, a protected space is afforded toreceive the fan casings and motor in a convenient and accessible location.

By having two conduits for conducting the fuel from the tender to the firebox of the locomoiive and by providing two fan casings andcouveyers for delivering powdered fuel, thereto and-by the arrangement of the motor or turbine between the fan casings, I am enabled to provide an extremely simple and compact arrangement which will most effectively deliver the fuel to the firebox and which will insure that the fuel shall be properly supplied; and if any choking within either of the fan casings or the conduit leading therefrom occurs, the other faunasing will continue to supply a requisite amount of fuel until she oostuction has been removed. By my improved apparatus not only is smoke notmade and a great saving of fuel and Water e il-acted, but shore can be little or no back pressure in the cylinders of the locomotive, because there is practi- Cally no need to exhaust the steam through the smoke stack to create a draft since all the air requisite for the hurningcf the fuel is supplieo through the fan casings. More over, the fireman is able to instantly check.

increase or diminish the fire within the firebox as the conditions of the tram. load, the

s Deed re uired and the nature of the armies may demanc. Other advantagesincidene to my invent-ion will. be readily understood to those familiar with this class of apparatus. l While I have described what I regard as apreferredembodiment of my invention, I .WlSl itunders'lood that the details above set out may be varied Without departing from tr e spirit of the invention and the features of the invention may be employed without its adoption, an entirety. 1

'Vhile the preferred practice of in vention is above described, it will be readily understood that the engineeror r'ii'ema-i i of the locomotive may prefer, in. the operation of the device, to use more or less draft created by exhausting the steam through the smokestack of the locomotive, in addition to the forced draft created in my improved Having "flUJS described my invention, what I claim as new and desilre to secure h Lester's Patent is- 1.3km apparatus (9f theecharacter described, comprising a receptacle for powdered fuel, a plurality ofconve'yers for leading the powdered fuel from said receptacle, :1 pair of fans, a motor arranged bet-ween.

said conveyors to the casings of said fans,

and valve mechanism for delivering air in regulatedquantity to said fan casings.

2. An apparatus of. the-charzicter described, comprising'a i reptacle for powdered fuel, "two conveyors for leading the powdered fuel forwardly from said receptacle, two fans located below the forward ends of said conveyors, a motor arranged between and in axial alinement with said fans and having its casing connected to the casings of said "fans, connections for delivering the powdered fuel from said conveyors to said fans, valve mechanism for delivering air in regulated quantity to said ,fans, and discharge conduits leading fors5 Wardly from the peripheries of the casings of said fans. I

An apparatus of the character descr bed, comprising an elevated hm for powdered fuel liavin its bottom formed as with wal s downward'y and outwardly in olined from the center, pockets at; the bottom of said hinmear the sides thereof, suh stantially horizontal conveyer tubes located in said pockets and extendiu forwardly therefrom, conveyors arranged Within said conv ver tubes fans arranged below the forids of said conveyer cubes and having forwardly directed discharge conduits, a

pipe leading downwardly from the forward 10a 'end of each conveyor tube to a central opening of the subjacent fan casing, valve mecha-- nism for admitting air in regulated quantity to the central opening of each fan casing;-

helow the point. of? delivery of the powdered fuel theretmtsuitahle gear mechanism connecting the shaft thatextends through each fan casing with the forward endof the ad jacent conveyer, and means for throwing said ear mechanism into and out of action.

4-, An apparatus. of the charaeterdescriloed, comprising an elevated bin for powdered fuel having its bottom "formed with walls downwardly and outwardly iu-' cliiied from the center, pockets at the hole 3.15

"an said bin near the sides thereof, sul star. ially horizontal conveyer tuhes located in said pockets and extendingforwardly therefrom, convcyers arranged Within said couveyer tubes, fans arranged below thefor 12c Ward ends of said conveyor tubes and each fan having a central opening on one side of the casing and a discharge conduit extending forwardly from, "the lower por tion oft-he fan casing, a pipe leading downwardly from the .:forward end of each conveyer tube to the central opening of the adjacent iau casing valye mechanism for admitting air in regulated quantity to the central opening of each fan casing below "the ioizrt of delivery of the bowdered fuel 'conveyer, and a motor arranged between said fan casings and whereby both of said fans are driren, and means whereby the gear mechanism adjacent each of said. fans may be thrown into and out of action.

5. The'combination with a locomotive fire box, of a tender having a water tank, an elevated bin for powdered fuel and a compartmentin front of said tank and bin, a conveyer extending forwardly from said bin into said compartment, a fan located in said compartment, of the tender and below the .front end of said conveyer, a motor alsolocated in said compartment for driving the fan, a pipe for powdered fuel leading downwardly from said conveyor to said fan, Valve mechanism for admitting air 1n regulated quantity to said fan, and a closed conduit leading forwardly from the periphery of said fan to said locomotive fire box.

6. The combination with alocomotive fire box, of a tender having a water tank, an elevated bin for powdered fuel and a compartment in front of said tank and bin, a plurality of substantially horizontal coni'eyers extending forwardly from said bin, 1h located in said compartment of the tender and below the forward ends of said conveyors, a motor located in said compartment betweenisaid fans and in axial line thereof, a common shaft for said motor and said fans, a pipe for powdered fuel leading downward from each of said conveyersto the snbjaoent fan, valve mechanism for adinitting said fans, and a closed conduit leading forwardly from the lower portion of each of the casings of said fans to said locomotive fire box.

' EDMUND H. STROUD.

in regulated quantity to each of/ 

